Korean residents' overseas stock investments triple to record high in 2025

SEOUL, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 19th Feb, 2026) The Republic of Korea's overseas stock investments nearly tripled from a year earlier to an all-time high in 2025, expanding to a level comparable to the country's annual current account surplus, central bank data showed Wednesday.

Residents' combined overseas equity investments reached US$114.35 billion last year, up from $42.16 billion in 2024, according to the data compiled by the Bank of Korea (BOK).

The figure is more than double the previous record of $68.53 billion set in 2021, Yonhap news Agency reported.

The Republic of Korea posted its largest-ever annual current account surplus of $123.

05 billion last year, supported by strong exports amid robust semiconductor demand.

The Primary income account, which tracks the wages of foreign workers, dividend payments from overseas and interest income, also logged a record surplus of $27.92 billion in 2025.

In 2025, the country's dividend income surplus rose 11 percent on-year to a record $20.19 billion, while the interest income surplus declined 4.95 percent to $9.98 billion, bringing the investment income surplus to $30.17 billion last year.